What TCU coach Gary Patterson called the ‘biggest surprise’ of fall camp

The TCU football team wrapped up fall camp on Saturday and coach Gary Patterson officially anointed Shawn Robinson as the starting quarterback.

Robinson is the best option for the Frogs with his starting experience and ability to extend plays and evade pressure.

That served as the news of the day, but Patterson touched on several other subjects. Here’s five takeaways:

1. Surprising O-line. TCU’s offensive line is one of the biggest questions going into the season. Four key contributors from last year’s team are now in NFL camps.

But Patterson continued to heap praise on the O-line.

“Our offensive line, I’ll be honest, has been the big surprise,” Patterson said. “They’ve really gotten better. We still have to keep getting better at one of the tackles. I won’t say which one.”

The Frogs have Lucas Niang returning at right tackle, and a competition between Austin Myers and Anthony McKinney at left tackle. Patterson mentioned McKinney by name as someone who has “come on” during fall camp.

Guard Casey McDermott Vai has been out with an injury, but is expected to return this week.

The goal is to have eight capable offensive linemen to start the season. The five starters, a swing tackle, a backup center and a backup guard.

“Our whole goal was to have eight. I think we’ll have eight,” Patterson said.

2. Banged up team. TCU has sustained two significant injuries in fall camp, losing defensive tackle Ross Blacklock (Achilles) and freshman safety Atanza Vongor for the season.

But Patterson rattled off a number of other players who have been sidelined with minor injuries. On the defensive side, the list includes linebacker Arico Evans, defensive end L.J. Collier and defensive backs Innis Gaines and Jeff Gladney.

Offensively, the Frogs were without their top four running backs (Darius Anderson, Sewo Olonilua, Kenedy Snell and Emari Demercado) during a scrimmage on Wednesday.

Receiver Jalen Reagor posted a since-deleted video on his Instagram account of his left foot in a protective boot.

“We’re pretty banged up and we’ve got two weeks to get everyone healthy,” Patterson said. “There’s been a lot of good and a lot of bad in scrimmage. We’ve had a lot of guys out.”

On the bright side, Patterson said, the injuries mean more reps for players such as safeties Trevon Moehrig-Woodard and La’Kendrick Van Zandt.

“All these guys have gotten better since guys were out,” Patterson said.

3. Summers at DE. With Collier out, linebacker Ty Summers has been working with the first-team at defensive end. It’s been a seamless transition so far as Summers has experience coming off the edge.

He started at end in the Oklahoma State game last season, and was going to see time there this season against teams where TCU felt having more speed off the edge was needed.

“He’s done well,” Patterson said. “With L.J. out, he’s been a starter. You gain a 4.5 [40-yard dash time], 240 pounds coming off the edge.”

In other D-line news, Patterson said Michael Epley has moved inside from the edge.

4. Practice matters. As stated, TCU is doing with a number of injuries. It’s commonplace in camp for minor injuries to pop up. But Patterson said some of his players “need to learn how to come back.”

In other words, players have to learn how to practice even if they’re not feeling 100 percent. Patterson mentioned Hall of Fame players such as LaDainian Tomlinson and Brian Urlacher as guys who always practiced.

Cowboys great Jason Witten rarely missed a practice.

The best players didn’t become the best on the sidelines.

“You have to practice to get where you need to get to,” Patterson said. “If you don’t get back fast enough, sometimes you get hurt again, or something else.”

5. Social media message. Patterson wasn’t too pleased with Reagor posting his injury on social media. Apparently, Reagor’s father wasn’t either.

“I told him — every opponent knows which leg it is, which is not very smart,” Patterson said. “Whether you like it or not, they go for it. … It’s just not really smart, but he’ll be back and he’ll be fine. His dad told him before I did.

“It doesn’t mean we don’t care about them or love them. As guys we all screw up. Young guys — they all screw up. It’s our job to straighten them out and get them where they need to be.”

Patterson would probably prefer his players to follow his lead. He’s used his Instagram account in recent days to post photos and videos from an African safari he went on with his wife, Kelsey, last spring.

This story was originally published August 20, 2018 at 8:00 AM.